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[Goonalan]

Saga of the Dragon Cult
Interlude 1
Intrigue at the Standing Stones
Scaled for level 3.

Turn 79: Catch me if you can.

“She’s poisoned.” Ala confirms and sets about trying to find a suitable cure, or at least something to slow the toxin’s attack.

“THIS WAY.” Jim screams.
“ASSASSIN.” Newt follows up having caught a glimpse of the fleeing maiden.

Jim barrels through the swing door and into the kitchen.

THUMP-THUMP

“Arrghhhh.”

And is hit twice in quick succession by a pair of arrows, the first grazes his cheek, the second thumps in and through his right thigh, which drives him back into the wall.

The Elf maiden smiles and waves- there’s even time for her to blow a kiss, then leaps from an open window into the backyard of the Inn.

Jim grits his teeth, snaps off the arrow head, and in one swift more removes the shaft, slings it aside and launches himself at the open window.

“ASSASSIN.” He screams.

Enris, the Elven maiden, lands lightly and is off and running- heading for a dark passage which leads back around to the front of the Inn, which is sure to throw the Goodman Gang.

Jim on the other hand lands awkwardly, hands out, SLAP, onto the cobbled yard- trying to protect his injured leg from the impact; he looks left and right, nothing… oh hang on a flash of clothing, he limp-runs towards the alley.

Back in the bar room of the Wheatsheaf Inn a large portion of chaos is being served. The clientele are ducking and diving for cover, screaming all the while, tables have been overturned, Big Reg behind the bar is waving a metal-headed club around, although there’s nothing untoward in sight.

“CALL THE WATCH.” Someone yells above the din.

Ala is still clutching the unconscious Mischa, peering into her seemingly lifeless eyes.

“We need to get her to Whiskin. Now.” She yells at the backs of the rest of the Gang who are headed for the kitchen.

Except one.

Newt checks his run, looks left, back to the entrance to the Inn- where would he go, he thinks, then makes his decision and heads full speed out of the front door of the Inn and into the street, which has little in the way of passing traffic, it’s almost deserted.

The Gnome looks right- there’s an alley, never noticed that before, he muses, grins and then races off.

Bec smashes into the kitchen; almost knocking the door off its hinges- scans the room, where’d they go? The Barbarian spots the open window- dashes across the room, spilling the huge kitchen table en route.

FWUNG

The Barbarian is stuck in the window’s frame, like a cork in a bottle.

“I can’t… Arrrggghh.”

Bec goes tumbling out as Cas thumps into his wedged backside. Anya follows hard on the Paladin’s heals.

“Go back, get Mischa to the Church, help Ala.” Cas pants and climbs up to the window.
“What woman’s work?” Anya spits back.
Cas looks very angry, very suddenly- “Save her Anya, save her… for Jim.”

And the Paladin’s gone.

Anya thinks about it, although for less than a second, she rushes back into the bar room and to Ala, a couple of the regulars at the Inn have improvised a stretcher from a table top, Anya grabs a corner and helps to supervise the evacuation.

“One of you go ahead, to the Church, get father Whiskin, tell him what’s happened here, we shouldn’t be long.” Anya shouts.
“What about a carriage?” Ala asks.
“Let’s not risk it.” Anya shakes her head.

They head for the door.

Newt skitters around the corner and into the alley and straight into the path of Enris who skids to a halt barely thirty feet away from the Gnome.

“Bastard.” She spits.

Then sprints off back the way she came.

“NEWT.”

The Gnome twitches at the sound of Anya’s voice behind him.

FWUNG

His crossbow bolt misses Enris by inches, almost parting the Elf maiden’s hair.

“Bastard.” Newt spits and turns to look behind him, “what?”
“We’ll be at the Church, tell Jim we’ll save her.” Anya calls and then dashes off down Bargate.

“Where’d they go?” Cas asks as he lands in the backyard of the Inn.
Bec shrugs, looks left then right- nothing.

The pair draw their daggers, that’s all they have in the way of weapons.

Enris meanwhile sprints on, back down the alley, suddenly Jim appears ahead of her, blocking her path, and with dagger in hand. There’s nothing for it.

THUMP.

The Elf maiden hits Jim as hard as she can, sends the Ranger sprawling backwards but not before he’s got the chance to bury his dagger deep in her side, she winces pulls the blade out and runs on.

“HERE- THE ALLEY.”

Jim screams, stumbles and then scrambles to his feet, grabs his blade up and runs after her.

Cas and Bec share a glance then sprint towards Jim’s voice, just in time to see Enris emerge from the alley, take a wide arc and sprint past the pair of them at full pelt.

“Damn.” They skid to a halt, turn tale and head back the way they came, Jim is soon up with them, and then past them.

FWONG

Newt emerges from the alley, drops and fires, well wide, he slings his crossbow over his shoulder, its on a strap, and heads off as fast as his little legs will take him- which as it turns out is not very fast at all.

“She’s heading for the Park.” Jim calls back and sprints on.

The chase continues the two hundred yards down Wellhome Road and to People’s Park, a huge green space in the middle of the City full of duck ponds, manicured lawns, and exotic varieties of trees and shrubs- there’s also a Falconry Centre for the moneyed locals to stable their hawks.

The few visitors, parading in the twilight, mostly well dressed young couples, scatter for cover as Enris and the Gang scream into view.

“DON’T LOSE HER.”

Jim shouts, he’s catching up to Enris, now well ahead of the others, although Bec is managing to find his stride.

Wild birds in their cages squawk and screech, the sound echoes throughout the park, sending more of the locals running for home.

Newt pulls up on the outer edges of the Park, out of breath; instinctively he fumbles with his crossbow, gets it loaded.

“Evening.”

He tips his hat at a fleeing couple who dive for cover.

There she is- if I can just… he thinks.

FWONG

His target turns out not to be the fleeing Enris, who in fact is well ahead, and out of sight of the panting Gnome.

THruuuuuuuum.

Newt’s crossbow bolt vibrates after burying itself in the trunk of a great oak, about ten feet away from a now startled Elven Park Ranger.

“SORRRRREEEEE.”

Newt waves his apology and staggers over to a bench to smoke a cigarette; he’s out of breath again, waits to get arrested, probably.

Bec meanwhile has caught up with Jim, the pair are heading round the outskirts of the largest duck pond in the park, towards a gaily painted wooden band stand, at which is Enris.

“He’s never around when you need him.” Bec croaks at Jim.
“Who?” The Ranger spits back.
“Khan.” Bec grins, it’s infectious, but only for a second, Jim grimaces and sprints harder, manages to turn his dagger in his hand, ready to throw.

A good distance behind the pair Cas comes to a halt, not really sure of where to head next, he’s lost them- they’re hidden behind a stand of trees that circles the pond.

“Blast.” The Paladin exhales and then jogs on, scanning the park now mostly hidden in the twilight.

FWO-FWO-FWO-DUNK

Jim’s aim is true, his dagger slices a bloody line in Enris’ shoulder, the Elf falters, then dodges hard right, a smaller path heading for the screeching Falcons clawing at their cages, trying to get out.

The Elf maiden dives around a corner and disappears from sight.

Jim and Bec share a look and dash on to see.

Enris is waiting for them; she mutters arcane words and two zig-zagging dots of energy lance from her outstretched arm and thump into Jim, knocking the Ranger clean of his feet and hard into the bird cages.

Bec however is unaffected; he doesn’t even break his stride, rushes straight for her.

But she’s lightning fast, in one movement her shortsword is drawn and the Elf is ready, she leaps aside at the last instance dodging the Barbarian’s clumsy blow easily, her sword leaves a bloody trail on Bec’s right arm, its cut almost to the bone, and a scratch on his right shoulder.

The Barbarian skids to a halt; twitches uncontrollably, and rages, turns and stabs down hard, plunging his dagger between the maiden’s shoulder blades, the wound erupts, blood fountains.

The Elf staggers forwards to escape the blade, spins as quickly as she can to bring her shortsword around again, Bec however has other problems, a deep gouge appears over the Barbarian’s eyes, a curtain of blood gushes down filling his eyes and mouth, he’s bleeding profusely, and yet cannot recall sustaining the wound.

Bec fumbles, almost drops his dagger.

The Elf maiden shuffles backwards- watching him, all the time muttering arcane words.

Jim drags himself upright, looks up.

And she’s gone.

“Aaaargh.”

Bec dances forward, swats and swipes at the empty air, a screaming fury- he stabs and lances, cuts and thrusts but connects with nought.

The Ranger is forced to seek cover.

“BEC. BEC. Bec she’s gone, disappeared.”

It has no affect, other than to perhaps give away his position, which is almost enough to draw the Barbarian’s ire.

The swatting and stabbing continues for a little while yet, till Bec’s rage subsides, and Jim is finally able to make himself understood.

“BEC. Move, maybe I can track her.”

“What the hell is going on here?”

Jim looks up- Khan, and standing at his side Cas, flanked by two burly members of the Watch, Newt peeks out from behind one of them, the Gnome holds up his hands, manacled, he grins.

Next Turn: Explain.